TRIMETHYL AMINE IN AUSTRALIAN SALT BUSH. 239 



of the volatile basic substances, obtained by the direct 

 distillation of the plant with caustic soda, must have been 

 derived from some of the nitrogenous constituents which 

 are not readily dissolved in acid water. 



The plant on air drying loses 76*5 per cent, of its weight. 

 The dry material was ground fine enough to pass through 

 an 80 mesh sieve, and 20 grams of the powder extracted 

 successively with petroleum ether (boiling below 40° 0.), 

 anhydrous ether and absolute alcohol. The proportions 

 dissolved by these solvents, calculated upon the fresh plant 

 were as follows: — 



Petroleum ether 0*19 per cent. 



Ether 0*16 



Alcohol 1*35 



Total ... 1'60 



The petroleum ether extract gave evidence of a volatile 

 oil and the ether extract showed the presence of a fatty 

 substance. 



The alcoholic extract, after drying and incinerating a 

 portion, showed the presence of 7*97 per cent, of inorganic 

 matter which consisted principally of the chlorides and 

 carbonates of sodium and potassium. 5*9 per cent, of this 

 alcoholic extract was soluble in water (equivalent to 0*07 

 per cent, on the fresh plant). The water soluble portion 

 was divided and examined as follows: — Basic lead acetate 

 added to a portion gave a yellow precipitate, which after 

 washing was suspended in water, decomposed by means 

 of hydrogen sulphide and filtered; the filtrate after con- 

 centrating and boiling for some time with dilute sulphuric 

 acid gave a yellow precipitate which reacted like quercetin 

 with the usual reagents, whilst the filtrate reduced Fehling's 

 solution, thus indicating the presence of a glucoside of 

 quercetin. 



